Here begynneth the first volum of sir Iohan Froyssart of the cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spayne, Portyngale, Scotlande, Bretayne, Flau[n]ders: and other places adioynynge. Tra[n]slated out of frenche into our maternall englysshe tonge, by Iohan Bourchier knight lorde Berners: at the co[m]maundement of oure moost highe redouted souerayne lorde kyng Henry the. viii. kyng of Englande and of Fraunce, [and] highe defender of the christen faythe. [et]c.

¶ Howe the duke of Lancastre wed∣ded theldest doughter of kyng Dam∣peter of Spayne / and howe the con∣federacions

were made bitwene the frenche kyng and the kyng of Spay¦gne. Cap. CC .lxxxxv.

THe duke Johan of Lā¦castre / who was in the cytie of Burdeux on Garon / and with hym dyuers barones / knightes and squyers of Ac¦qⁱtayne: for as than fortune stode metely well on the en∣glysshe parte. Howe beit dyuers barons of P••¦••••tou and of Limosyn / were tourned to the frē∣che partie / and they made often yssues and s••ry mysshes agaynst their enemyes. This duke of Lancastre was a wydower without a wife / for the good lady Blanche of Lancastre and Der∣by / was disceassed. Than the barones of Gas∣coyne / consydred that kynge Dampeter of Ca∣stell had two doughters by his first wyfe / who was suster to y^e kyng of Portyngale / who were as than in the cytie of Gascoyne. Thyder they were brought by the see / to be kept by certayne knightes fro the parties of Cyuell / for doute of kyng Henry. Assone as they knewe the dethe of their father / the two ladyes were dysconsolate and in great trouble / that it was great pite: for they were trewe herytoursto Castell / by ryght successyon of kyng Dāpeter their father. The whiche mater sir Guyssharde Dangle shewed to the duke / sayng thus. Sir / and it like you ye are to mary: and we knewe wher is a great ma¦ryage for you / wherby you and your heyre shal be kyng of Castell. And also it is great almesse to confort maydens in their bistresse / and speci¦ally doughters to a kyng / beyng in y^• case that they be in. sir: we your faythfull seruantes / wol¦de coūsayle you to take theldest to your wyfe / for we can nat tell wher ye shulde be so well ma¦ryed agayne / nor where that so moche prosyte shulde come to you therby.

UHese word{is} and other entred so into the dukes hert / and so well pleased hym: y^• he was well content to send for the two ladyes / theldest called Cōstance / and the other Isabell And so he sent four knightes for them / and ther spedde so•• in their iourney / that they brought with them the sayd ladies. And whan the duke knewe of their comyng he rode out of Burde∣aur to mete with them. And a lytell fro Burde¦aur / in a vyllage called Rochsort / he maryed y^• eldest called Constance. At the whiche daye of maryage ther was a great feest and great nō∣bre of lordes and ladyes: and thanne the duke brought his wyfe to Burdeux. And than there was agayne great feest and ioy made / and the good lady and her suster were greatly feested ther / by the ladyes and damosels of Burdeux / and gyuen to them great gyftes and fayre pre∣sentes / for the loue of the duke.

UHe tidynges came in to castell to kynge Henry / and to the barons of that realm who were alyed by fay the and homage to him / howe that his nese had maryed with the duke of Lancastre. And also it was enformed them / that the yonger shulde be wedded to the erle of Cambridge / whan the duke were retourned in to Englande / wherof kyng Henry was ryght sore displeased / and called all his counsayle to∣guyder. Than was it counsayled hym / that he shulde sende great messangers to the frenche kynge to treate with hym / to whiche counsayle the kynge agreed. And sente wyse and sufficy∣ent personages into Fraunce. And so they de∣parted and dyde so moche by their iourneys / that they came to the cytie of Parys wher they foūde the kyng who receyued them with great ioye and feest. And so bytwene the kyng & these counsaylours of kyng Henry / who hadde pro∣curacyons sealed / to treate and to procede in all causes in the name of their lorde: in any plya∣ment / treaty / counsayle / secrete or otherwise to take effect. Finally the same season ther were a corded / ordayned / and confyrmed: alyaunces / and confederacions right great and large / and sworne so••ēply on bothe parties / to holde ferm∣ly & nat to breke / nor to do agaynst it by no ma∣ner of way: but that those two kyng{is} to abyde fermly in an vnyte of peace / loue / & alyāce. and there the frenche kyng sware by the worde of a kyng / that he wolde ayde and helpe the kyngs of Castell in all his busynesse: and to make no maner of peace nor acorde with the kyng of En¦glande / but that he shulde be comprised in the same. To this treaty sir Bertram of Clesquy helped greatly / for he loued enterely the kynge Henry. After these thynges confyrmed and a∣greed: the embassadours departed and retour¦ned into Spaygne / and founde their lorde at Lyon in Spaygne / who was right ioyouse of their comynge home / and that they had so well sped. And by reason of this alyaunce / kyng Hē¦ry thought hymselfe better assured and conforted / than he was before.